Henry B. Eyring

Some of us live in beautiful and peaceful surroundings, yet we experience inner turmoil. During His mortal ministry, the Savior said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation” (John 16:33). Notwithstanding, He gave this wonderful promise to His disciples: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). It is a comfort to know that this promise of personal peace continues for all of His faithful disciples today. You may have seen the miracle of this peace on the face of a disciple of Jesus Christ. Many times, I have seen others experiencing peace and perfect serenity while in the midst of great personal loss, tragedy, and continuing trials. I felt that peace when I reached out to touch, softly, the beautiful wooden cover on the casket of my wife. A photo of my face at that moment shows me smiling. It was a smile of joy. I felt at that moment that I could see her smile as she was meeting the Savior—and that He was smiling at her. Our little four-year-old granddaughter prayed on a recent evening, “And please bless Grandma, to be happy in heaven.” That little girl, when she was only two, would reach up to stroke her grandma’s hand as she lay in the bed where she eventually passed through the veil. The Lord keeps his promise: “[My] peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.” It is a sure promise to the faithful, worthy, and humble disciples of Jesus Christ, no matter what happens in their lives or the lives of those they love.

I am deeply thankful for the blessings of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I am grateful for cleansing power, which is made available to us through His infinite Atonement. I have felt, as have you, forgiveness and cleansing through baptism by those with authority and through repenting and partaking of the sacrament. I have felt the burning in the bosom that is only possible because of these words spoken by authorized servants of God: “Receive the Holy Ghost.” My gratitude also comes from blessings to my family. Of all the blessings available in a sacred temple, the greatest is the promise of eternal life. Eternal life is to live together in families, in glory, with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. It is the sealing power, and our knowledge of it, that changes and transforms our family life here and our expectations for joy in family life in the world to come.

I recently had the privilege to confirm my 8-year-old granddaughter a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. What an honor! As a holder of the Melchizedek Priesthood, I also had the authority to place my hands on her head and say these words: “Receive the Holy Ghost.” That was a command she had been prepared to receive as she had already taught us in a family devotional of the Savior’s own baptism of Jesus Christ and the appearance of the Holy Ghost in the form of a dove. In her little lesson, she had used a soft baby blanket as her visual aid. She taught us that because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, baptism can wash away sins and that we can feel the Holy Ghost’s comfort and warmth, just like the blanket. Even a little child can feel the comforting voice of the Spirit. She, and all of us, can take heart as our faith in Jesus Christ grows and we continually increase our capacity to have the Holy Ghost as a constant companion. My testimony is that the Holy Ghost is a personage of Spirit. I have felt His comfort and direction countless times in my life. It helps me to know that the companionship of the Holy Ghost is a gift, not only a reward for our efforts. I promise you that your fervent prayers – in the name of Jesus Christ – to receive the blessings and fruits of Holy Ghost, even the still small voice, can and will be answered.

The Bible Dictionary contains one line that helps me in my prayers. It is this: “Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other” (Bible Dictionary, "Prayer"). Like many, my prayers have changed over time and with experience. Since my childhood, I have prayed for blessings from God for others and for myself. Many have been granted. Some have not yet produced the blessings I plead for in faith and in the name of Jesus Christ. The Savior has helped me as I read this line from the Lord’s Prayer. He taught “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). The Savior provided the perfect example in the Garden of Gethsemane as He prayed saying, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done … And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly” (Luke 22:42, 44). When our prayers seem to go unanswered, the Savior’s example suggests what to do: keep praying more earnestly. That is exactly what He did, even to the end of His mortal service. According to the record, Jesus cried with a loud voice, and prayed, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost” (Luke 23:46). His prayers were answered just as ours can be. He was bound eternally to His Father. The will of the Father was His own. Used with permission. "Gethsemane" by Adam Abram. Courtesy of altusfineart.com © 2024

As we do our best to teach those we love about the doctrine of Jesus Christ, some may still not respond. Doubts may creep into your mind, and you might question whether you know the Savior’s doctrine well enough to teach it effectively. Don’t give in to those doubts. Turn to God. #GeneralConference

Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers promptly when we ask Him how we can help one of His children, and the Lord goes before us with His message of love for them. These truths were recently reaffirmed to me when I accepted President Russell M. Nelson’s invitation to prayerfully consider someone who might need our love and encouragement. I’m grateful I accepted that invitation. My experiences are a gift of love that will last in my heart forever. #99plus1

When the storms in life come, you can be steady because you are standing on the rock of your faith in Jesus Christ.

The Lord loves you. Whatever your circumstances, wherever you live, He loves you personally. He paid the price for all your sins. He has felt your pains and sorrows and so knows how to comfort you. You are a beloved child of your Heavenly Father. You were nurtured by Him before you came into this world. He loves you and has blessed you every hour of your life. Many of those hours have been difficult, but Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have never turned away from you. They have inspired Their servants to reach out to lift you up in your struggles. You have felt gratitude for that gift. I know that Alma’s counsel is true. He taught, “Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day” (Alma 37:37).

President Russell M. Nelson is an absolute joy to serve with. We wish all members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints could have a sense of just how much he loves them. He truly emulates the Savior as he cares for each and every one of God’s children.

As an Apostle and witness of the Lord Jesus Christ, I promise you that as you obey the commandments you will know the truth and be strengthened and warmed by light and love, which will come from God.

I am grateful for the sweet testimony and inspired guidance which can be found in the Gospel Library app under “Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Russell M. Nelson.” Our prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, has said: “The Lord does not require perfect faith for us to have access to His perfect power. But He does ask us to believe. … “… Start today to increase your faith. Through your faith, Jesus Christ will increase your ability to move the mountains in your life, even though your personal challenges may loom as large as Mount Everest. “Your mountains may be loneliness, doubt, illness, or other personal problems. Your mountains will vary, and yet the answer to each of your challenges is to increase your faith. … “The mountains in our lives do not always move how or when we would like. But our faith will always propel us forward. Faith always increases our access to godly power.” “The Savior is never closer to you than when you are facing or climbing a mountain with faith” (“Christ Is Risen; Faith in Him Will Move Mountains,” general conference, Apr. 2021). Let us follow President Nelson’s example as we seek to increase our faith in the Savior that we may all overcome the mountains we face.

Our prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, has an incredible, God-given love for everyone. I’ve always been impressed that his love for people leads him to learn and remember their names. I’ve watched him interact with countless individuals over many years, and it’s remarkable how he remembers when he met them and even the names of their spouse and children. The very sound of his voice as he speaks their names seems to convey his great love. May we all accept President Nelson’s recent invitation to reach out to someone just as the Savior would. This is a special opportunity to show our love to others, just as our dear prophet shares his Christlike love with all of God’s children. #99plus1